President Obama Just Created The World’s Largest Protected Region

Mitchell Diep

By Mitchell Diep

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President Barack Obama just created the largest protected area in the entire world. August 26, 2016 — President Obama officially signed and expanded the marine monument off of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands by FOUR times its original size. The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument expansion will encompass a total of 582,578 square miles of sea — making it the largest marine protected area on the planet. According to Senator Brian Schartz, the expansion will provide protection for 7,000 marine species, including monk seals, whales, sea turtles, and black coral.

Created in 2006 by the Bush Administration, Papahānaumokuākea originally measured at 139,797 square miles of protected sea area. The declaration banned all forms of commercial fishing and with this expansion, officials expect to sustain biodiversity and limit the damaging effects of climate change.

President Obama has protected more public land and marine area than any other U.S president in history.

How about that for a 100th birthday gift, National Parks Service? Take a look at this video to learn more!